Marshall University Athletics
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Herd S&D Racks Up SBC Postseason Honors
3/29/2024 1:01:00 PM | Women's Swimming and Diving
Warner named Co-Freshman of the Year; 10 named to SBC All-Conference Teams
Championship Fund
NEW ORLEANS – Marshall University Swimming and Diving freshman Molly Warner was named Sun Belt Co-Freshman of the Year with the team having 10 named to all-conference squads as the league announced postseason awards on Friday.
Paige Banton, Madeline Hart, Eszter Laban, Audrey West and Warner were named first-team all-SBC with Gabrielle Ivey, Klava Katayama, Grace Kelsheimer, Parker Lynch and Mia McBride being named to second-team all-conference.
Warner, a native of Shelby Township, Michigan, tied for the highest individual point total for any freshman at the SBC Championships and had the highest performance point average of any freshman swimmer. Warner was the only freshman to have an NCAA Provisional Standard coming in the 400 Individual Medley with a time of 4:17.06 and was the SBC Swimmer of the Week for week eight.
Molly achieved lifetime best performances in everyone event she swam, including a leadoff 200 Freestyle that would have placed her second in the individual event. She received a gold medal as a member of the 800 Freestyle Relay, two silver medals (200 IM and 200 Butterfly), and one bronze medal (400 IM). During the season, Warner registered a top-10 program time in the 200 Individual Medley (second all-time - 2:01.27), 200 Freestyle (fourth all-time - 1:48.88), 400 Individual Medley (fourth all-time - 4:17.06), 200 Butterfly (sixth all-time - 2:01.62), 200 Backstroke (ninth all-time - 2:01.94).
Banton had a banner year for The Herd. The Sault St. Marie, Ontario, Canada, native won nine events total throughout the 2023-2024 season. Banton was Sun Belt Swimmer of the Week in Week 11 leading into the championships for her record-breaking performances against Toledo, where she broke two pool records in the 100 and 200 Breaststroke. The senior also broke both the 100 and 200 Breaststroke school records and is now fourth all-time in the 200 Individual Medley.
At the SBC Championships, Banton set the SBC Championship Record in the 100 Breaststroke with a time of 1:01.36. This event came down to the touch, besting second place by .01 of a second. Banton also won the 200 Breaststroke, while taking silver in the 200 Medley Relay and the 400 Medley Relay with a bronze in the 200 Individual Medley in Orlando. The time was also an NCAA Provisional Standard and ranked in the Top 50 for all Division 1 Mid-Major programs for the 2023-2024 season. Banton also had the highest FINA Point total for her performances in the Sun Belt out of all competitors, with a score of 783.95 for the 2023-2024 season.
At the Sun Belt Championships, Hart took home golds in the 200 Butterly and 800 Freestyle relay with silvers in the 400 Freestyle Relay, 200 and 400 Medley Relays to go with a Bronze in the 100 Butterfly. The native of Cincinnati, Ohio, moved up the ladder in the program record book with her time of 54.21 in the 100 Butterfly being the second fastest and 2:00.64 in the 200 Butterfly sitting third fastest in program history. The senior also set the seventh fastest time in program history in the 50 Freestyle (23.19) and 10th fastest time in the 200 Freestyle (1:50.59). Hart was named SBC Swimmer of the Week for her performance in week six.
Laban brought home four medals from the championships in Orlando with golds in the 1650 Freestyle, 500 Freestyle and 800 Freestyle Relay with a silver in the 400 Individual Medley. The Hungarian swimmers time of 16:41.68 in the 1650 Freestyle ranks as the third fastest time in program history with her 400 Individual Medley time of 4:16.40 also sitting in third. Laban was the only two-time SBC Swimmer of the Week award winner taking it in both weeks one and five.
West also brought home four medals from the SBC Championships with a gold as a member of the 800 Freestyle Relay team, silver in the 400 Freestyle Relay, and bronzes in both the 100 and 200 Breaststroke. The senior's time of 1:01.70 sits in the 100 Breaststroke sits in second just .24 of a second off Banton's program mark and her time of 1:03.99 in the 200 is the third fastest in program history. West also ranks eighth in the 200 Individual Medley after posting a time of 2:04.07. The Walton, Kentucky, native was named SBC Swimmer of the Week in week nine.
Kelsheimer had a strong year on the boards. The Westlake, Ohio, native was the SBC Diver of the Week in week 11 leading into the championship season. Kelsheimer had three event wins on 1m during the 2023-2024 season and had lifetime bests across 1m (307.60), 3m (301.85) and platform (175.20) diving disciplines. She broke the school record by over 20 points on 1m and qualified for NCAA zones in the 1m and 3m events. Grace is now second all-time in 3m diving and eighth all-time in platform diving in Marshall history. Kelsheimer was the first NCAA Zone Championship finalist on 1m in school history for The Herd.
Katayama closed out her collegiate career with six medals in Orlando, including silver in the 400 and 200 Freestyle Relays and in the 200 and 400 Medley Relays with bronze in the 50 and 100 Freestyle. The Ada, Ohio, native's time of 50.26 in the 100 Freestyle is the fifth fastest time in program history with her time of 23.27 ranking 10th.
McBride brought home three relay silvers from the SBC Championships as a member of the of 200 Freestyle Relay, 200 Medley Relay and 400 Medley Relay teams. In Orlando, the native of Huntsville, Alabama, recorded the third fastest time in program history in the 100 Backstroke (54.33) and fourth fastest in the 200 Backstroke (1:59.24).
Lynch concluded her freshman year with a pair of relay silvers in the 200 and 400 Freestyle Relays. The Nashville, Tennessee, native is in the Marshall record book with the 200 Freestyle Relay's time of 1:33:00 ranking 10th and the 400 Freestyle Relay time of 7:17.61 ranking second.
Ivey brought home a silver as a member of the 200 Freestyle Relay. The native of Ocean Springs, Mississippi, also qualified for the B Finals in the 50 Freestyle, 100 Backstroke and 200 Backstroke events.
To donate to the Championship Fund for Marshall swimming & diving, please click HERE. All proceeds go directly to the Marshall swimming & diving.
For the latest information on Marshall Swimming & Diving, follow on X @HerdSwimDive and Instagram at @HerdWSwimDive and online at HerdZone.com.
To follow all Thundering Herd sports and get live stats, schedules, and free live audio, download the Marshall Athletics App for iOS or Android!
NEW ORLEANS – Marshall University Swimming and Diving freshman Molly Warner was named Sun Belt Co-Freshman of the Year with the team having 10 named to all-conference squads as the league announced postseason awards on Friday.
Paige Banton, Madeline Hart, Eszter Laban, Audrey West and Warner were named first-team all-SBC with Gabrielle Ivey, Klava Katayama, Grace Kelsheimer, Parker Lynch and Mia McBride being named to second-team all-conference.
Warner, a native of Shelby Township, Michigan, tied for the highest individual point total for any freshman at the SBC Championships and had the highest performance point average of any freshman swimmer. Warner was the only freshman to have an NCAA Provisional Standard coming in the 400 Individual Medley with a time of 4:17.06 and was the SBC Swimmer of the Week for week eight.
Molly achieved lifetime best performances in everyone event she swam, including a leadoff 200 Freestyle that would have placed her second in the individual event. She received a gold medal as a member of the 800 Freestyle Relay, two silver medals (200 IM and 200 Butterfly), and one bronze medal (400 IM). During the season, Warner registered a top-10 program time in the 200 Individual Medley (second all-time - 2:01.27), 200 Freestyle (fourth all-time - 1:48.88), 400 Individual Medley (fourth all-time - 4:17.06), 200 Butterfly (sixth all-time - 2:01.62), 200 Backstroke (ninth all-time - 2:01.94).
Banton had a banner year for The Herd. The Sault St. Marie, Ontario, Canada, native won nine events total throughout the 2023-2024 season. Banton was Sun Belt Swimmer of the Week in Week 11 leading into the championships for her record-breaking performances against Toledo, where she broke two pool records in the 100 and 200 Breaststroke. The senior also broke both the 100 and 200 Breaststroke school records and is now fourth all-time in the 200 Individual Medley.
At the SBC Championships, Banton set the SBC Championship Record in the 100 Breaststroke with a time of 1:01.36. This event came down to the touch, besting second place by .01 of a second. Banton also won the 200 Breaststroke, while taking silver in the 200 Medley Relay and the 400 Medley Relay with a bronze in the 200 Individual Medley in Orlando. The time was also an NCAA Provisional Standard and ranked in the Top 50 for all Division 1 Mid-Major programs for the 2023-2024 season. Banton also had the highest FINA Point total for her performances in the Sun Belt out of all competitors, with a score of 783.95 for the 2023-2024 season.
At the Sun Belt Championships, Hart took home golds in the 200 Butterly and 800 Freestyle relay with silvers in the 400 Freestyle Relay, 200 and 400 Medley Relays to go with a Bronze in the 100 Butterfly. The native of Cincinnati, Ohio, moved up the ladder in the program record book with her time of 54.21 in the 100 Butterfly being the second fastest and 2:00.64 in the 200 Butterfly sitting third fastest in program history. The senior also set the seventh fastest time in program history in the 50 Freestyle (23.19) and 10th fastest time in the 200 Freestyle (1:50.59). Hart was named SBC Swimmer of the Week for her performance in week six.
Laban brought home four medals from the championships in Orlando with golds in the 1650 Freestyle, 500 Freestyle and 800 Freestyle Relay with a silver in the 400 Individual Medley. The Hungarian swimmers time of 16:41.68 in the 1650 Freestyle ranks as the third fastest time in program history with her 400 Individual Medley time of 4:16.40 also sitting in third. Laban was the only two-time SBC Swimmer of the Week award winner taking it in both weeks one and five.
West also brought home four medals from the SBC Championships with a gold as a member of the 800 Freestyle Relay team, silver in the 400 Freestyle Relay, and bronzes in both the 100 and 200 Breaststroke. The senior's time of 1:01.70 sits in the 100 Breaststroke sits in second just .24 of a second off Banton's program mark and her time of 1:03.99 in the 200 is the third fastest in program history. West also ranks eighth in the 200 Individual Medley after posting a time of 2:04.07. The Walton, Kentucky, native was named SBC Swimmer of the Week in week nine.
Kelsheimer had a strong year on the boards. The Westlake, Ohio, native was the SBC Diver of the Week in week 11 leading into the championship season. Kelsheimer had three event wins on 1m during the 2023-2024 season and had lifetime bests across 1m (307.60), 3m (301.85) and platform (175.20) diving disciplines. She broke the school record by over 20 points on 1m and qualified for NCAA zones in the 1m and 3m events. Grace is now second all-time in 3m diving and eighth all-time in platform diving in Marshall history. Kelsheimer was the first NCAA Zone Championship finalist on 1m in school history for The Herd.
Katayama closed out her collegiate career with six medals in Orlando, including silver in the 400 and 200 Freestyle Relays and in the 200 and 400 Medley Relays with bronze in the 50 and 100 Freestyle. The Ada, Ohio, native's time of 50.26 in the 100 Freestyle is the fifth fastest time in program history with her time of 23.27 ranking 10th.
McBride brought home three relay silvers from the SBC Championships as a member of the of 200 Freestyle Relay, 200 Medley Relay and 400 Medley Relay teams. In Orlando, the native of Huntsville, Alabama, recorded the third fastest time in program history in the 100 Backstroke (54.33) and fourth fastest in the 200 Backstroke (1:59.24).
Lynch concluded her freshman year with a pair of relay silvers in the 200 and 400 Freestyle Relays. The Nashville, Tennessee, native is in the Marshall record book with the 200 Freestyle Relay's time of 1:33:00 ranking 10th and the 400 Freestyle Relay time of 7:17.61 ranking second.
Ivey brought home a silver as a member of the 200 Freestyle Relay. The native of Ocean Springs, Mississippi, also qualified for the B Finals in the 50 Freestyle, 100 Backstroke and 200 Backstroke events.
To donate to the Championship Fund for Marshall swimming & diving, please click HERE. All proceeds go directly to the Marshall swimming & diving.
For the latest information on Marshall Swimming & Diving, follow on X @HerdSwimDive and Instagram at @HerdWSwimDive and online at HerdZone.com.
To follow all Thundering Herd sports and get live stats, schedules, and free live audio, download the Marshall Athletics App for iOS or Android!
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